In my last visit to the Exposition Ground I was much gratified with the success that you have secured in so much as could thus far be done toward the realization of the design, the leading motives of which I aimed to convey to you last Spring, in passages of the memorandum which I will recall by an extract appended hereto. You appear to have caught the leading motive, and the results, up to date, are better than I had supposed could be achieved in the time. Everything, so far, is as it should be.

As to what is to follow, I had expected, in consultation with you, at my last visit, to elaborate a more specific planting plan than had been made before. Reviewing what you had done, however, I came to the conclusion that it wd be safer not to hamper you with instructions that might too much restrain the free exercise, as you go along, of your own tastes and skill in respect to details. I think it best however to repeat in written form some of the suggestions already given you verbally.

After what has already been practically settled, the chief point of concern must be to make the shores of the Lagoon interesting to visitors as they pass along, first, by sufficient changes of features; second, by variety and vivacity of small incidents such as might be provided, for instance, in flowers that will be seen not very distinctly but twinkling, as it were, through scenes of foliage.

As to what I call features in distinction from incidents, these must change with changes in the formation of the ground as already determined, a different treatment being given to the shores according as they are abrupt and high, or low and gently sloping, but there are stretches of shore the aspect of which would be too monotonous if we simply followed the suggestion of the existing banks in this respect. It is to be considered that if visitors are walking along the shores opposite the East side of the island, for example, at the rate of three miles an hour, or moving in boats near the opposite shore at five miles an hour, the average speed being four, some change of feature would be desirable every 150 to 200 feet; that is to say, some change that would be notable to them once in about two minutes. Such change of feature may occur either close along the water’s edge, or it may be in the rear of the shore plantings, on the higher ground. That is to say, it appears to me that at varying distances, but on an average once in about 60 yards it would be well to have some considerable change in the character of the planting. Generally this {can} be made by the introduction of a considerable body of some particular sort of foliage; as [392]for example, on the high ground, a mass of poplars, or of willows or maples; or by having a gap in the high planting opening a view across the island. Then, along the shore, at similar intervals the general line of the reedy plants might be interrupted by the introduction of patches of broader leafed plants, such as symphorocarpus and sagitaria, making a batch of either for some little distance clear of all other plants. Generally the shore planting as it stands at present will be improved I think by giving special predominance now and then to plants of some one particular sort. (Predominance, not always absolute exclusiveness). I should like to see, occasionally, for example, on flat ground, a considerable stretch of shore almost exclusively with bulrushes, and, now and then a slope a few rods in breadth, coming to the water’s edge, of grasses, or a slope completely covered with moneywort. Perhaps we can afford a few such patches of cane, or bamboo, or of one of the eulalias but generally I would not give a position to any body of foreign plants that brought them distinctly into view. If you have a body of Eulalias, for example, I would try to have a little broken line of bull rushes in front of them so that only the upper parts of the Eulalias could be distinctly seen. I suggest, also, that where you are intending to have thickets of willows running back from the shore for a considerable distance, that you break such a thicket occasionally with a group of Aralia Spinosa or Manchurica, or of Ailanthus, of Cottonwood, or of young Bass-wood, thus securing contrasts of forms in the foliage.

Wherever you come upon steep banks descending abruptly into the water, I would advise you to take out the reedy water plants altogether, and to plant densely with shrubs and young trees, in such a manner as to produce masses of foliage hanging out over the water and casting dark shadows & reflections upon it. Plants are desirable in these situations which thrust out branches of foliage horizontally, such for instance as Cornus alternifolia and Ptelia trifoliate. Also arched & pendant. On these steep banks, again, overhanging the water, young plants of Paulownia and Catalpa may be used, and especially where they face to the northward so that the plants will be standing in shade, Rubus odoratus in large quantities. Elsewhere along the shores the reedy planting should be varied with patches of Clethra and Cephalanthus as well as alder and willows, with their roots at high waters edge. Where you use more upright growing shrubs on these steeper waterside banks, let them be generally set with their roots parallel with the steep slopes, or nearly so, so that their main shoots or trunks will hang out over the water. The effect desired may be assisted in some cases by lashing them to stakes, letting the stakes stand all through the next Summer or until the plants are well established, and their branches are growing out over the water. It will be desirable also to occasionally allow sand-beaches to be seen without any foliage over them.

Care should be taken to avoid, generally, a clean, hard line of shore, except when it is to be of masonry & plainly artificial. There are points where to make the shore more intricate it may be desirable to set out little floating islands of foliage.

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You will take all the pains you can to get trees of suitable size and form, and use all your judgment and skill to introduce them so as to blend together the immediate shore planting with the big trees now growing on the higher parts of the island. I think you fully understand what I think desirable in this respect. There is nothing you have to do in which it will be more difficult to secure a notable degree of success. I would reject everything that had not been well taken up and brought to the place, or that failed in any way to promise to be in full leaf and flourishing in the summer of 1893. Still, what is most important in this respect is skillful & painstaking planting.

We are most anxious that you should arrange your business so that during all of the planting season your other business will, as much as possible, have been deputised to others, whom you can trust for that period to carry it out with very little direct personal attention from you. Nothing before you is more important than that you should devise timely arrangements in this respect and make sure that your assistants have had their duties well set out and are adequately instructed. You should even make such provision as is possible for the carrying on of the work in case you should be taken ill or meet with an accident laying you up for some days. No unnecessary risks must be taken. No planting time can be lost. The finest possible effect must have been secured without fail by work to be done before 1893.